Mexican Rice (aka: Sopa)

1-2 Tbsp Canola oil
1 cup white rice, long grain (not cooked)
1/4 to 1/2 white onion, diced (optional)
1 garlic clove, diced or pressed (optional)
2 cups water
1 bouillon cube (any flavor, optional)
2-3 Tbsp tomato sauce (freeze the rest in ice cube trays to use later, store in ziploc freezer bag once frozen)
1-2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
1/2 cup frozen peas (optional)

1.  In a medium saucepan (that you have a lid for), heat oil.  Add uncooked rice and stir to coat.  Watch rice carefully so it doesn't burn, but you do want to lightly brown it. You may add the onion and garlic clove while browning the rice.

2.  If using bouillon cube, I usually add it to the water while I'm browning the rice.  Add water to the browned rice.  It will bubble up and steam right away, so add water quickly.

3.  Add tomato sauce, cilantro and frozen peas if using.  Bring to a boil, while still uncovered.  Once boiling, cover and immediately reduce heat to simmer.  Set timer for 20 minutes.

4.  After 20 minutes, liquid should be all absorbed.  Fluff rice with a fork and serve.

Notes:
If you don't want to chop your cilantro, you may add a sprig or two to the top of the pot just before putting the lid on to cook for 20 minutes.  When rice is ready, just use a fork to remove from the top of cooked rice before serving.

Easy Refried Beans

No-Fat Variety
1.  Get a can of whole pinto beans (Sun Vista brand is good).  Drain off most of the liquid into the sink.
2.  Pour beans with small amount of liquid into a skillet.  Using the back of a large spoon (or a potato masher), mash the beans while heating until they are the consistency you want.
3.  Season to taste.  Salt, pepper, garlic salt.  You may also add a little salsa and/or cheese (yes, cheese adds fat).

Low-Fat Variety
1.  Same as above, basically.  Drain all of the liquid from your can of beans.
2.  In place of the canned liquid, heat 1-2 Tablespoons of canola oil in your skillet, then add your drained whole pinto beans.  Use the back of a large spoon (or a potato masher) to mash the beans.
3.  Season to taste.

Quesadillas

When my son played high school football, I made trays and trays of these and delivered them after practice to the boys staying for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes meeting.  They were always well received.

Basic Ingredients:
Flour tortillas (size that fits flat in your skillet)
Shredded Mexican Cheese (or your choice of cheese)
Chicken, cooked and shredded (deli chickens are good for this)
cooking spray
non-stick skillet

Optional:
diced green chilies
sliced black olives
onions
Sour Cream and Salsa to serve as condiments

When making a large batch (like to feed a group of hungry teenagers), I mixed my filling all together in a large bowl.  When making one or two quesadillas, this is more the method I follow:
1. Spray skillet with cooking spray, pre-heat skillet until hot.
2.  Lay a tortilla in the skillet and let warm up for a minute or so.  Flip to the other side.
3.  On only half the tortilla, Sprinkle some cheese.  Add the chicken (and any other ingredients you want).  Sprinkle a little more cheese, then fold the empty half of the tortilla over the filling.
4.  Using a spatula, press down on the top of the folded tortilla to help the cheese melt and the two halves of the tortilla stick together.  When lightly browned on the bottom, use the spatula to gently flip the quesadilla to brown the other side.
5.  Remove to a plate and cut into 3-5 wedges (depending on the size of the tortilla used).  Serve with sour cream, salsa and/or guacamole on the side.

Enjoy.

Snickerdoodle Cookies

These are one of my husband's favorite cookies that I make.  Not sure where the recipe came from, but I'm sure my mom got it from a fellow Navy wife.  Make these cookies as directed and they come out moist on the inside and slightly crunchy on the outside.  They are also GREAT to make with kids because they like to roll the dough balls in the cinnamon-sugar mix.

1 Tbsp. white granulated sugar
1 Tbsp. cinnamon, ground
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup  Crisco shortening (I use the bars of Crisco that look kind of like butter, but regular flavor)
1-1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2-3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. cream of tartar (found in your spice aisle)

Combine 1 tablespoon sugar and 1 tablespoon of cinnamon together in a small bowl and set aside.  Cream together the butter and shortening; gradually add 1-1/2 cups sugar.  Add the eggs and beat well.  Stir in the vanilla extract.  Sift together the flour, baking soda, salt and cream of tartar in a medium bowl.  Add flour mixture to butter mixture and mix well all together.  Shape the dough into 1-inch balls, and roll in reserved cinnamon/sugar mixture.  Place 2 inches apart on lightly greased cookie sheets.  Bake at 400 degrees F for 6 minutes or until lightly browned.  Remove to a wire rack to cool.  Yields about 4 dozen cookies.  Yummy with a cold glass of milk (as are most cookies).

Enjoy.

Creamy Coleslaw with a hint of spice

We're having burgers for Linner today.  That's right, Linner.  It's a cross between lunch and dinner.  In an effort to use up my glorious bounty from my CSA box, I've made this coleslaw to go with the burgers.  Yummy, creamy, crunchy goodness!  Another easy recipe to throw together.


1 small head of cabbage, finely shredded or chopped (about 1-1/2 lbs)
1 small carrot, grated
1/2 cup celery, diced
1/4 cup onion, diced
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
2 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 Tbsp. prepared yellow mustard
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper (or to taste)
1/4 tsp. black pepper

Combine the vegetables in a bowl and set aside.  Combine remaining ingredients, stir well.  Pour dressing over vegetables and toss all together.  Chill at least one hour before serving.  Makes 6-8 servings

Chicken and Rice Jalapeno Casserole

2 cups cooked rice (I made extra the night before)

2 cups Monterey Jack Cheese, shredded (I used Pepper Jack to add more spice)

2 cups cooked chicken (I used a deli chicken)

1 can (12 oz) Low-fat canned Evaporated Milk

½ cup finely diced red onion (I had some leftover from Halloween chili toppings)

2 eggs

¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped (I had this from my CSA box last week, also a chili topping)

2 Tbsp. butter, melted

1 diced jalapeno, seeds and membranes removed and discarded (from my CSA box)

(may substitute a small can of jalapenos or green chilies)

Salt to taste, (although the deli chicken has a lot of flavor)

Pre-Heat oven to 350*.  Spray a 2 quart casserole dish with cooking spray.  Combine all ingredients either directly in the casserole dish (or in a larger bowl to make mixing it all together easier0.  Stir well and bake, uncovered for 45 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

Toss a salad and eat.  Yum!

Comforting Chicken Noodle Soup

My husband and his dad are returning home from their adventures in Spain today.  They will spend about 17 hours on planes and will have additional travel time in shuttles to and from the airports.  They'll have jet-lag, for sure.  So, I thought I'd make some hearty chicken noodle soup in the crockpot in case they arrived home hungry...because who wants to sleep on an empty stomach.  Besides, with the weather here being so fickle, I've got a tickle in my throat and I know soup will fix that right up.  Here's my recipe:

I like both white and dark chicken meat in my soup, so I got a package of a whole cup up fryer and used 2 breasts, and 2 thighs.  The remaining pieces of chicken I put in a labeled freezer bag to make stock later out of the back and I'll make the drumsticks and wings for a football Sunday when I get enough of those.

*You may use all white meat (2-3 skinless chicken breasts), all dark meat (4-5 skinless thighs) or choose a combination like I did (2 skinless breasts, 2 skinless thighs).  I use pieces with the bone in to get more flavor in the soup.

Ingredients:

Chicken (*see my notes on chicken above)
1/2 onion, diced
3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced in circles
1 can low sodium chicken broth
1 can regular chicken broth
1 Tbsp. fresh chives
Black pepper, freshly ground to tast
1 clove garlic, pressed (optional)
2 cups uncooked noodles of your choice

Using a 12 cup capacity crockpot, combine all of the ingredients except for the noodles.  Add water so liquid level is about 2 inches below the top of the crockpot.  Cover and cook for 6-8 hours on low or 4 hours on high.  While soup is cooking or close to serving time, cook noodles according to package directions.  You can do this step ahead of time and just leave noodles draining in a colander until the chicken is done.  When the chicken is cooked through, remove from the soup and cut into bite-sized pieces, return meat to soup.  Add your cooked noodles to the soup.  Add salt to taste.  Makes 12 cups

**Variation:  For a no noodle soup, add 4 red potatoes diced into 1-inch cubes at the beginning of your cooking time.

I'm also baking up some frozen dough dinner rolls to go along with the soup.  Light, gentle to digest meal for the traveling Pulido's to come home to...because NOBODY wants to be around a hungry Pulido.

Enjoy!